Prayer of a Traveller (Part 5)

According to the fatwas of the Grand Religious Authorities: Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Sistani, and Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi (may Allah prolong their blessings):

Fatāwā presented without citing a differing opinion or a specific reference are the common rulings shared by all of the three respected Marāji‘. In cases where the ruling of one Marjaʿ differs from that of the other two, it is indicated in a footnote under the same number, mentioning the Marjaʿ by name.

Watan (Homeland): One of the Factors that Interrupt Travel

1. One of the things that terminate the ruling of travel is passing through one’s watan (homeland). Watan is of two types: original watan and adopted watan.

Original Watan (Hometown)

1. The original watan is a place where a person has spent a significant portion of their early life (childhood and adolescence) growing up.

Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani: “Original watan” refers to a person’s main residence and primary place of living, which is usually the place where their parents reside and their birthplace—where they lived after birth.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: The original watan is the place of birth or a place where a person has spent an important part of their life.

1. For a place to be considered an original watan, it is not necessary that a person was born there or that it is their parents’ homeland. It is also not necessary that they intend to live there permanently. Rather, even if they plan to leave in the future, as long as they have not yet left, it is still considered their original watan.
2. The amount of time required for a place to be considered an original watan depends on common understanding (ʿurf). For example, if someone has spent the first ten years of their life in a place, it is ʿurf  (according to common perception) considered their original watan; however, if they stayed there only for one or two years, it would not normally be considered their watan.

Adopted Watan (Watan al-Ittikhādhī)

1. From a customary (ʿurf) perspective, an adopted watan is a place that a person chooses as their residence and homeland, even though it was not previously their watan—whether or not they have turned away (iʿrāḍ) from their original watan.

1. In establishing an adopted watan, it makes no difference whether the person intends:

• permanent residence,
• residence without a fixed duration,
• or residence for a long period.

1. If someone intends to stay in a place for around ten years, it is not unlikely that, according to common understanding, this would be sufficient for it to be considered an adopted watan.

Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani: “Permanent adopted watan” refers to a place a person chooses for permanent residence, intending to spend the rest of their life there.

• “Temporary watan” refers to a place that a person adopts as their residence, workplace, or place of study—even if they do not intend to remain there forever—provided that, in common perception, they are no longer considered a traveler there. In such a case, even if they temporarily stay elsewhere for ten days or more, people would still regard the first place as their main residence. This is called a temporary adopted watan.

Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi: Adopted watan is a place a person selects for long-term living, with the intention of staying.

1. For a place to be considered an adopted watan, mere intention is not sufficient. The practical elements of settlement must also be realized—for example, staying there for some time (such as one or two months) with the intention of settling, or doing things that people عادةً (normally) do when establishing residence.

1. If a person, with the intention of settling, rents or buys a house from the outset, or finds a job or business there, the watan is considered established from that moment. Their prayer becomes complete (tamām), and waiting one or two months is not necessary.

1. If, after intending to settle but before completing the practical steps required for establishing watan, a person becomes uncertain about staying there, then the status of watan is not established. In that case, if they do not intend to stay for ten days, their prayer remains shortened (qaṣr).

1. If someone acquires a house in another city and intends to visit it regularly (e.g., weekly), but their duration of stay is not enough for that place to be عرفاً considered their place of residence, then their prayer there is shortened (qaṣr) and their fasting is not valid.

8. A place chosen for residence for only one or two years is not عرفاً considered a watan; however, the person is also not treated as a traveller there. Therefore, even without intending a ten-day stay, their prayer is complete (tamām).